Scottie Scheffler Receives Big Slice Of Rules Luck At Genesis Invitational
The World No.1 remains in contention going into the weekend of the Genesis Invitational, but suffered a bizarre start to his second round on Friday


Golf has the capacity to throw up some surprises and not even the World No.1 is immune to some strange circumstances on the course.
Playing the second round of the Genesis Invitational, Scottie Scheffler moved into contention at the halfway point at Torrey Pines, but that could all have been so different after a bizarre start at the Signature Event.
Teeing off on the back nine for the second round of the tournament, which is taking place at Torrey Pines instead of Riviera Country Club due to wild fires in the Los Angeles area, Scheffler safely parred the 10th before drama at the par 3 11th.
Measuring 215-yards, the 28-year-old pulled his tee shot left with his iron and, after clearing the fans up by the green, the ball hit the cart path and finished on the 12th tee box, some 50 yards long of its designated target.
For any normal player, a bogey would be a good score but, after locating his golf ball, Scheffler found himself pressed against a large water cooler box on the tee. Because of this, the American was able to take free relief and, after dropping the ball, Scheffler was able to take a second placement, due to 'preferred lies' being in play during the second round.
In the end, he would make an up-and-down for par, eventually firing a blemish-free round of 67 to sit one shot back of Davis Thompson going into the weekend at Torrey Pines.
Scheffler is searching for his first victory of 2025 and sixth Signature Event
According to Orlando Pope, the on-site PGA Tour official for the broadcast, everything Scheffler did was within the rules and, for those wondering, the ruling falls under USGA's Rule 16.1 - Abnormal Course Conditions.
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The rule states that "free relief is allowed from interference by animal holes, ground under repair, immovable obstructions or temporary water... Interference exists when any one of these is true: 'Your ball touches or is in or on an abnormal course condition. An abnormal course condition physically interferes with your area of intended stance or area of intended swing, or only when your ball is on the putting green, an abnormal course condition on or off the putting green intervenes on your line of play.'"
Because the 'abnormal course condition' affected where Scheffler could stand to address the golf ball, he was able to take free relief.
Matt joined Golf Monthly in February 2021 covering weekend news, before also transitioning to equipment and testing. After freelancing for Golf Monthly and The PGA for 18 months, he was offered a full-time position at the company in October 2022 and continues to cover weekend news and social media, as well as help look after Golf Monthly’s many buyers’ guides and equipment reviews.
Taking up the game when he was just seven years of age, Matt made it into his county squad just a year later and continues to play the game at a high standard, with a handicap of around 2-4. To date, his best round came in 2016, where he shot a six-under-par 66 having been seven-under through nine holes. He currently plays at Witney Lakes in Oxfordshire and his favourite player is Rory McIlroy, despite nearly being struck by his second shot at the 17th during the 2015 BMW PGA Championship.
Matt’s current What’s In The Bag?
Driver: Honma TW747, 8.75°
Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Rocketballz Stage 2, 15°, 19°
Hybrid: Adams Super Hybrid, 22°
Irons: Mizuno MP54, 5-PW
Wedges: Cleveland 588 RTX 2.0 Tour Satin, 50°, 56°, 60°
Putter: Cleveland TFI 2135 Satin Cero
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
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